Radon

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they have taken to encourage householders to reduce their exposure to radon; whether they are considering any further action; and how many households are thought to be at risk.

Lord Whitty: Successive governments have carried out campaigns since 1987 to encourage householders who may be at risk from radon to reduce their exposure. By 1998 every home in England with a greater than 5 per cent probability of being above the radon "Action Level" had been offered a government-funded radon test. Approximately 400,000 measurements have been carried out in total, and 40,000 homes found to be above the Action Level. In July 2000 my right honourable friend the Minister for Environment (Mr Michael Meacher) announced a new radon programme. The department is working in partnership with 31 local authorities over a two to three-year period to encourage householders to carry out remedial work to reduce radon concentrations where these are found to be above the Action Level. This follows successful pilot studies carried out in conjunction with three local authorities. The National Radiological Protection Board has calculated that around 100,000 homes will be above the Action Level throughout the UK.

Pesticides Safety Directorate: Annual Report

Lord Blease: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the 2000-01 Annual Report for the Pesticides Safety Directorate.

Lord Whitty: The 2000-01 Annual Report and Accounts for the Pesticides Safety Directorate were laid before Parliament yesterday. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000: Implementation

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will list those sections of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 under which they intend to lay regulations; and
	Whether they will list the consultation papers which they have so far issued on proposals to make regulations under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; the dates by which comments were sought; and the expected dates for laying regulations in each case; and
	Whether they will set out their future timetable for issuing consultation papers on regulations under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Lord Whitty: We intend to lay regulations under the following sections of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
	
		
			   
			 Section 11: Mapping of access land and consultation on draft maps. Issue of provisional maps, appeals, and issue of conclusive maps. Review of conclusive maps. 
			 Section 16: Dedication of land for access. 
			 Section 31: Exclusion of access in emergencies. 
			 Section 32: Exclusion or restriction of access under Chapter II, including appeals. 
			 Section 38: Appeals relating to notices. 
			 Paragraph 7 of Schedule 2: Removal or relaxation of restrictions on access land. 
			 Section 51 & Schedule 5: Regulations relating to definitive maps and statements; Provision for a later cut-off date for recording byways open to all traffic on definitive maps. Transitional provisions. 
			 Section 52: Application of highways provisions to restricted byways, with or without modifications. 
			 Section 54: Provision for excepted highways at the cut-off date. 
			 Section 56: Provision for a later cut-off date, and transitional provisions. 
			 Section 57 & Schedule 6: Various provisions relating to the creation, stopping up and diversion of highways; deemed dedication registers. 
			 Section 61: Consultation with additional persons in relation to rights of way improvement plans. 
			 Section 63: Procedures for removal of obstructions. 
			 Section 67 & Schedule 7: Additional circumstances in which a defence may be offered to a charge under section 34 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. 
			 Section 68: Vehicular access across common land. 
			 Section 71: Requirement for local highway authorities to publish reports on the performance of specified functions. 
			 Sections 94 & 95: Establishment of local access forums and the appointment of members. 
			 Section 98: Town and village greens. 
			 Paragraph 11 of Schedule 11: Appeals in relation to Sites of Special Scientific Interest. 
		
	
	We shall review the case for regulations under Section 42 of the Act before general implementation of the right of access. In addition, a number of planning authorities for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty have approached my department with proposals to create conservation boards under Part IV, Section 88 of the Act. We are considering these proposals and may in time propose regulations to implement them.
	Two consultation papers have been issued to date on proposals to make regulations under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000: Proposals for regulations on draft maps under section 11 of the Countryside & Rights of Way Act 2000, for which the consultation period ended on 20 June 2001 and our provisional target date for laying regulations is October 2001; and Sites of Special Scientific Interest Appeals Regulations, for which the consultation period closes on 23 August 2001. We expect to lay those regulations before Parliament in the autumn.
	The provisional timetable for consultation on and bringing into force regulations under Parts I and II of the Act is as follows: Part I
	
		
			  Regulation  Section Consultation commenced Date regulations in force 
			 Mapping of access land and consultation on draft maps Section 11 March 2001 October 2001 
			 Issue of provisional maps, appeals, and issue of conclusive maps Section 11 October 2001 April 2002 
			 Dedication of land for access Section 16 October 2001 March 2002 
			 Exclusion or restriction of access under Chapter II, including appeals Section 32 November 2001 May 2002 
			 Removal or relaxation of restrictions on access land and to exclude access in emergencies Para 7, Schedule 2; Section 31 November 2002 May 2003 
			 Appeals relating to notices Section 38 February 2003 August 2003 
			 Review of conclusive maps Section 11 February 2004 August 2004 
		
	
	Part II Our principal objective in respect of Part II of the Act is to complete consultations and to lay the necessary regulations during the year 2002-03.
	
		
			 Regulation Section Consultation 
			 Consultation with additional persons in relation to rights of way improvement plans. Section 61 October- 
			 December 2001 
			 Regulations relating to definitive maps and statements. Section 51 & Schedule 5; December 2001-February 2002 
			 Form and content of deemed dedication registers. Section 57 & Paragraph 4 of Schedule 6; 
			 Procedures for removal of obstructions. Section 63 
			 Additional circumstances in which a defence may be offered to a charge under s34 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Section 67 & Schedule 7. 
			 Application of highways provisions to restricted byways, with or without modifications. Section 52 February-April 2002 
			 Various provisions relating to the creation, stopping up and diversion of highways. Section 57 and Schedule 6 
			 Requirement for local highway authorities to publish reports on the performance of specified functions. Section 71 May-July 2002 
		
	
	Consultation on proposals for regulations under Section 68 will take place shortly. Laying of draft regulations before Parliament is planned for the autumn. Consultation on proposals for regulations under Sections 94 and 95 will start in July 2001, with a closing date for responses in October 2001 and a provisional target date of December 2001 for bringing the regulations into force. We have no firm dates for the Section 98 regulations, although we hope to go out to public consultation towards the end of the year, and lay draft regulations early in 2002. In the longer term we also plan to introduce regulations under Section 51 and paragraph 4 of Schedule 5, Section 54 and Section 56.

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science

Lord Burlison: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What targets they have set the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science for 2001-02.

Lord Whitty: We have set the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science the following performance targets for 2001-02.
	Financial Control To recover from government departments and agencies and external customers the full economic costs of the agency's services.
	Efficiency To achieve savings and efficiency gains in a range of key functions.
	Quality and Service Delivery To give satisfaction to customers in the way that outputs are provided, as measured by the CEFAS Customer Satisfaction Survey. To make satisfactory progress with the action plan resulting from the 1999-2000 Science Audit. To manage the agency in an effective manner, including pursuit of commercial exploitation of research outputs.

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science

Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the 2000-01 Annual Report and Accounts for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science.

Lord Whitty: The 2000-01 Annual Report and Accounts for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science were laid before Parliament yesterday. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Joint Nature Conservation Committee: Consultation

Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the responses to the consultation on the first stage financial, management and policy review report on the Joint Nature Conservation Committee announced in March.

Lord Whitty: We have today made the responses to the consultation exercise available on the websites of JNCC and my department, and I have also placed copies in the House Libraries. We are now considering the responses.

War Disablement Pension Claims

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why it is necessary to differentiate between "compulsions contended to be fairly standard" and "contentions [that] may have political overtones" when disablement claims made under Article 4 of the Service Pensions Order (S.I. 1983/833) are being considered by the War Pensions Agency.

Lord Bach: When claims for War Disablement Pension are considered by the War Pensions Agency some contended service links are relatively straightforward but others are more complex, requiring careful consideration and perhaps some discussion with an expert caseworker who is a particularly experienced Medical Adviser. Following recent criticism of the phrase "political overtones", the use of this term has been reviewed to clarify its intentions, and a revised verison of the overarching guidance on this matter is in the process of being published.

War Pensions Scheme and Disabled Living Allowances: Award Criteria

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why it is that claims for the care component and mobility allowances from the War Pensions Agency are rejected when claims for Disability Living Allowance with a mobility component based upon the same facts are accepted by the Benefits Agency.

Lord Bach: Conditions for the award of Constant Attendance Allowance and Mobility Supplement under the War Pensions Scheme include the requirement that the need for attendance or help with mobility must be due to the disablement for which a War Disablement Pension was awarded. Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance is governed by different legislation, does not depend on the circumstances in which the disability arose and can take other factors into account.

French and German Teaching in Public Sector Schools

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proportion of pupils in public sector schools in the United Kingdom are taught the French or German language respectively.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The department does not hold information on the proportion of pupils who are taught particular languages in public sector schools. Information which is available on numbers who enter for a foreign language GCSE in England, however, indicates that about 68 per cent take French and around 27 per cent take German.
	It is not our policy to promote specific languages, although French and German remain the most popular subjects for study in secondary schools. Pupils have a statutory entitlement to learn at least one foreign language from the age of 11, and we want to support and enhance opportunities for language learning in primary schools. We have already published a scheme of work for primary French and materials for primary German. We have done a great deal to strengthen the position of foreign language teaching in schools, particularly through the Specialist Language Colleges. The expansion of the Specialist Schools programme, with their role as "hubs" of excellence, will provide enhanced opportunities for primary schools to access language expertise.

BBC World Service: Grant-in-Aid

Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What has been the subvention made by the Treasury, in real terms, to the BBC World Service in each year since 1996; and what is the agreed Treasury subvention in the financial years 2001-02 to 2003-04.

Baroness Amos: Government Grant-in-Aid for BBC World Service broadcasting for the years 1996-97 to 2003-04 is set out in the table below in real terms.
	
		BBC World Service Grant-in-Aid (£m real terms, 2001-02 prices) -- Outturn
		
			 Year £ million 
			 1996-97 175.7 
			 1997-98 171.9 
			 1998-99 172.5 
			 1999-2000 177.5 
			 2000-01 186.3 
		
	
	
		Plans
		
			 Year £ million 
			 2001-02 182.8 
			 2002-03 195.3 
			 2003-04 201.1

BBC Short-wave Services

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to discontinue financial support for the BBC world short-wave service to North America and the Pacific Ocean area.

Baroness Amos: The Government have granted the BBC World Service £64 million extra for 2001-04 to enable it to take forward plans to modernise equipment, including short-wave transmitters, and expand online and FM services globally. Operational decisions on resources allocation are for the World Service within the framework of overall objectives agreed with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. On other aspects of the question I refer the noble Baroness to the Answer I gave to Lord Quirk on 27 June, Official Report, cols. 354-357.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Local Authority Costs

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have for reimbursing those local authorities who have experienced substantial extra unforseen costs due to their work during the foot and mouth crisis.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: On 24 April, my honourable friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Beverley Hughes) announced the activation of the Bellwin scheme to provide emergency financial assistance to local authorities to help them meet some of the costs of responding to outbreaks of foot and mouth disease. This scheme is based on Section 155 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, which permits only the reimbursement of expenditure incurred by local authorities on, or in connection with, the taking of immediate action to safeguard life or property, or to prevent suffering or severe inconvenience, in their area or among its inhabitants. Funding rate relief for small businesses does not, therefore, fall within the scope of this scheme.
	On 22 March, my right honourable friend the Minister for the Environment announced an increase in the central government contribution to local authorities to fund rate relief from 75 per cent to 95 per cent for small businesses which are suffering hardship as a result of foot and mouth disease in 151 rural authorities in England. This applied for an initial period of three months. Details of the arrangements were given in Special Grant Report No. 80, which was laid before the other place and approved by Parliament on 2 April 2000.
	A new Special Grant Report No. 86 was debated and passed in the other place on Monday 16 July. It continues the terms of SGR No. 80 for a further six months, so the grant will be available for the period 1 April to 31 December. It also extends the terms of the scheme to provide more grant to the worst affected authorities. Any eligible authority which grants relief worth in total more than 8 per cent of its net budget requirement will receive central funding of 98 per cent for spend above that level, as opposed to 95 per cent below it (75 per cent through the pool in the usual way plus special grant of either 20 per cent or 23 per cent). Grant will also be available to 37 specified authorities in the worst affected areas for relief given to properties up to £50,000 rateable value, as opposed to £12,000 rateable value in the other 114 rural authorities.
	In addition authorities covered by Special Grant Report No. 80 will benefit from a temporary reduction of 50 per cent in contributions to the National Non-Domestic Rate Pool between April and August.

London Underground: Air Conditioning

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In view of the safety risks, what advice they have sought about the introduction of an immediate emergency programme of investment in air conditioning in both stations and rolling stock on London Underground.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We have been informed by London Underground that their technical staff, in liaison with one of the world's expert consulting engineers on air conditioning, are reviewing the possibility of introducing air conditioning on the Underground network. We have also been informed by London Underground that they have an ongoing risk assessment programme which closely monitors health and safety risks to passengers.

London Underground: Air Conditioning

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What advice they have sought from the Health and Safety Executive about the danger of loss of life on London Underground resulting from the high temperatures in trains stuck between stations at peak times.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Safety is London Underground's top priority. Regulation and enforcement is the responsibility of the independent Health and Safety Executive, rather than the Government. We understand that, following an incident at Liverpool Street Underground Station last September, London Underground conducted a formal review of its procedures for responding to incidents which result in trains stopping between stations. The report was provided to the Health and Safety Executive and trade union representatives in March. We understand that the report made a number of recommendations and that the Health and Safety Executive will ensure these recommendations are implemented.

London Underground: Rolling Stock Replacement

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What provision is made in their plans for the renewal of London Underground to replace rolling stock within the next 10 years.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The plans for the modernisation of the Underground provide a comprehensive package to renew the whole of the Underground's infrastructure, including track, trains, signalling and stations. The detailed provisions are a matter for London Underground. We understand, however, that work has been prioritised to deliver an improved service to passengers as quickly and efficiently as possible. As part of that, all Victoria Line trains will be replaced from 2007; and during the course of the contract all trains on every line, including the 40 per cent of the fleet built within the last eight years, will either be replaced or refurbished.

Trans-European High Speed Rail System: Interoperability Directive

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which member states have failed to implement the European Union Directive on the Interoperability of the Trans-European High Speed Rail System; and against which member states the European Commission has so far instigated infraction proceedings.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: I understand that a number of member states had not implemented the directive by the required date of April 1999 and that infraction proceedings were started against them. However, some member states have implemented since then and I have no information about the current position for individual member states.

Drivers and Cannabis

Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they endorse the Lord Rea's contention (H.L. Deb., 21 February, col. 890) that road users under the influence of cannabis normally compensate for their impaired reaction time by driving more cautiously than they do when not under the influence, and therefore do not materially endanger other road users.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government would not support the view that road users under the influence of cannabis do not materially endanger other road users.
	Research undertaken by TRL Limited on behalf of my department concluded that the effects of cannabis on driver performance were not as severe as those of alcohol, but that they were unpredictable and as such could be a hazard.
	TRL Report 477 The influence of cannabis on driving is available on the DTLR's website at http://www.roads.dtlr.gov.uk/roadsafety/research16/index.htm.

Department of Health Regional Structure

Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How, in view of the wider social and economic influence on health, the new regional structure of the Department of Health will relate to other regional bodies.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Regional Directors of Public Health will be established in the nine Government Offices of the Regions by April 2003, and there will be four Regional Directors of Health and Social Care who will be National Directors of the Department of Health. This will encourage more joint working between the Department of Health, the Government Offices and other regional bodies on issues such as health, transport, regeneration and the environment. It will also align the department's work into established regional structures, building on the work already under way with the Government Offices, Regional Assemblies and Regional Development Agencies. This will allow for the further development of these partnerships and the taking forward of regional strategies for economic growth, social infrastructure and sustainable development.
	The boundaries for different sets of regional bodies should not form a barrier to closer joint working, and for this reason the areas overseen by the new Regional Directors of Health and Social Care will be aligned with the boundaries of the Government Offices.

Nursing Homes: Free Nursing Care

Baroness Nicol: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they plan to fulfil the pledge made in the NHS Plan to introduce free nursing in nursing homes.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We have issued draft guidance and directions on implementing free nursing care in England and copies have been placed in the Library. The Department of Health will introduce this from 1 October for those who pay for their care themselves. This will bring financial benefits to approximately 35,000 people who currently pay for their care from their own resources and could save up to just over £5,000 in a full year for some people.
	It will also end the anomaly of people having to pay for care that is provided free of charge by the National Health Service in other settings.
	Those people whose care is currently provided by councils and who receive free nursing care anyway will receive it free via the NHS from April 2002.

Meat Hygiene Service: Annual Report

Baroness Nicol: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the 2000-01 annual report and accounts for the Meat Hygiene Service will be laid before Parliament.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The 2000-01 Annual Report and Accounts for the Meat Hygiene Service have been laid before Parliament. Copies are available in the Library, but formal printing and publication will not occur for another four to six weeks, pending preparation of a version in Welsh as required by the Welsh Language Act.